"Dear Murderer" starts off very well but the writer just couldn't leave well enough alone. It all begins with a husband confronting his wife's lover and announcing he's going to kill him. This is after he's gotten the man to write a letter that might be seen as a suicide note--then he kills him. In the meantime, the wife and her OTHER lover come into the apartment where the man is about to die--and the husband is hiding. The pair leave--and the husband slip away--leaving the first lover to die.
So far, so very good. I liked seeing the husband concoct this intricate murder. BUT, then the film does nothing with this. He does NOT kill the cheating wife but goes so far as to tell her what he's done! And, when she pretends to profess her only love to her husband, he believes it and tries to extricate the second lover--who the police have accused for the first killing. Now think about it--the husband is brilliant and plans the killing. Yet, inexplicably, he then tells his wife the plan and tries to help out the other lover. Why?! Then, in the end, he walks right into the EXACT same killing he committed as the film began. Can a guy be THAT stupid?! No...nor can the audience. I am sure folks at the time felt cheated, as the main idea hooked them--only to see it all fizzle because the writer kept 'over-writing' it. In other words, they wouldn't leave the plot alone and let it play out--and included too many twists--none of which were believable.
All in all, a great story idea that went NO WHERE! It's a frustrating film and wish I haven't even bothered. Badly written and desperately in need of a re-write.
So far, so very good. I liked seeing the husband concoct this intricate murder. BUT, then the film does nothing with this. He does NOT kill the cheating wife but goes so far as to tell her what he's done! And, when she pretends to profess her only love to her husband, he believes it and tries to extricate the second lover--who the police have accused for the first killing. Now think about it--the husband is brilliant and plans the killing. Yet, inexplicably, he then tells his wife the plan and tries to help out the other lover. Why?! Then, in the end, he walks right into the EXACT same killing he committed as the film began. Can a guy be THAT stupid?! No...nor can the audience. I am sure folks at the time felt cheated, as the main idea hooked them--only to see it all fizzle because the writer kept 'over-writing' it. In other words, they wouldn't leave the plot alone and let it play out--and included too many twists--none of which were believable.
All in all, a great story idea that went NO WHERE! It's a frustrating film and wish I haven't even bothered. Badly written and desperately in need of a re-write.